02.011
Pancharatra: Description of the Self-creating Brahman’s assembly. How Harishchandra performed Rajasuya to get a place in that assembly.
Nārada said.
O king, once in the age of the gods, the revered Sun, free from fatigue, came down from heaven desiring to see the world of humans. (2-11-1)
O Pāṇḍava, Svayambhu (Brahmā), moving in human form, after seeing the assembly, truly described to me the divine assembly. (2-11-2)
O best of the Bharatas, it is of immeasurable radiance, divine, mental, indescribable in its power, and pleasing to all beings. (2-11-3)
O Arjuna, having heard of her virtues in the assembly, I, wishing to see her, thus spoke to the Sun, O king. (2-11-4)
O Lord, I wish to see the assembly of the grandsire. By what means can that assembly be attained—by austerity or by action, O lord of cows, or even otherwise? (2-11-5)
O venerable one, tell me by what means—by medicines, by other means, or by illusion—I may see that assembly, and how. (2-11-6)
Then the venerable Sun, powerful, took me and went to that sinless, fatigue-free assembly of Brahmā. (2-11-7)
O king, such is her form that she cannot be described. For in a moment, she indeed assumes another indescribable form. (2-11-8)
O Bhārata, neither the measure nor the form is known, nor have I ever seen such an appearance before. (2-11-9)
O king, that assembly is extremely comfortable and cool, not hot; those who reach it do not experience hunger, thirst, or fatigue. (2-11-10)
She appears as if constructed with various forms, adorned with splendid and radiant pillars, yet she is not supported by them; she is eternal and not perishable. (2-11-11)
She, self-luminous, shines beyond the moon, the sun, and the fire, stationed on the summit of heaven, as if illuminating even the sun. (2-11-12)
O king, in her, the Lord himself alone constantly dwells, performing (actions) by divine illusion; he is the grandsire of the worlds. (2-11-13)
The lords of beings, including Dakṣa, Pracetas, Pulaha, Marīci, and also Kaśyapa, approach and serve him, the master. (2-11-14)
Bhṛgu, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Gautama, and also Aṅgiras; the mind, the atmosphere, the sciences, the wind, fire, water, and earth. (2-11-15)
O Bhārata, sound, touch, form, taste, smell, primordial nature, modification, and whatever else is the cause of the world. (2-11-16)
The moon along with the stars, the radiant sun, the winds, the sacrifices, resolve, and the very life-breath itself. (2-11-17)
Many others, along with these, have approached Svayambhu (the self-born, Brahmā); purpose, righteousness, desire, joy, hatred, austerity, and self-restraint (are present). (2-11-18)
In that place, Gandharvas and Apsarases together arrive, as well as twenty, seven, and other guardians of the worlds, all of them. (2-11-19)
Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Rahu—all the planets—are also included in the same way. (2-11-20)
The sacred chants Rathantara, Hariman, and Vasuman, as well as the Ādityas with their kings, are mentioned along with various pairs. (2-11-21)
O Bhārata, the Maruts, Viśvakarman, and the Vasus, as well as all the groups of ancestors and all the offerings, (2-11-22).
O Pāṇḍava, the Ṛgveda, Sāmaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda, as well as the festivals, O lord of the people. (2-11-23)
History, the auxiliary Vedas, all the limbs of the Veda, the planets, sacrifices, Soma, and all the divinities in their entirety. (2-11-24)
Sāvitrī, the one who helps to overcome difficulties, speech (in its sevenfold form), intelligence, steadfastness, sacred knowledge, wisdom, intellect, fame, and forbearance. (2-11-25)
O lord of men, there are chants, hymns of praise, songs, and various other texts; also, there are commentaries endowed with reasoning and embodied form. (2-11-26)
O Bhārata, there are moments, instants, muhūrtas, days, nights, fortnights, months, and the six seasons.
There are years, five great ages and four kinds of nights, and the wheel of time which is divine, eternal, imperishable, and unchanging. (2-11-28)
Aditi, Diti, Danu, Surasā, Vinatā, Ira, Kālaka, the goddess Surabhi, Saramā, and Gautamī were present. (2-11-29)
The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Maruts, and the Aśvins; the Viśvedevas, Sādhyas, Pitṛs, and those who are swift as the mind. (2-11-30)
Rākṣasas, piśācas, dānavas, guhyakas, as well as suparṇas, nāgas, and animals all worship the Grandfather (Brahmā). (2-11-31)
God Nārāyaṇa was present in her, as well as the divine sages, those sages known as Vālakhiḷyas, and both those born from the womb and those not born from the womb were also there. (2-11-32)
O king of men, know that whatever stationary or moving thing is seen in these three worlds, all of that has been seen by me in her.
O Pāṇḍava, there were eighty-eight thousand ascetics with upward-flowing energy, and also fifty sages who had progeny. (2-11-34)
Having seen him there as they wished, all the dwellers of heaven bowed their heads to him and returned as they had come. (2-11-35)
He welcomed the guests who had arrived, including gods, daityas, nāgas, sages, yakṣas, suparṇas, kāleyas, gandharvas, and apsarases also. (2-11-36)
Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, who possesses immeasurable intellect and compassion for all beings, deals with the greatly fortunate as is fitting. (2-11-37)
Having accepted, the self-born, infinitely radiant soul of the universe, with conciliation, respect, wealth, and enjoyments, unites the lord of men. (2-11-38)
Thus, O Bhārata, that assembly became agitated by those arriving and departing, yet it was a source of happiness, dear one. (2-11-39)
She, composed of all brilliance, divine, attended by the assembly of Brahmarṣis, radiant with the glory of Brahmā, shone forth, her fatigue gone. (2-11-40)
Such an assembly as was seen is rare in all the worlds. O tiger among kings, this assembly among men is like yours. (2-11-41)
O Pāṇḍava, I have seen such assemblies before among the gods. But this assembly of yours in the world of men is the most excellent of all. (2-11-42)
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O best of speakers, the royal people have generally been described to you. But, O lord, as you say, it is so in the assembly of Yama. (2-11-43)
O mighty one, in the assembly of Varuṇa, those serpents have been described; and mostly the lords of the Daityas, as well as the rivers and oceans, have also been mentioned. (2-11-44)
In the same way, the yakṣas of the lord of wealth, guhyakas, rākṣasas, gandharvas, apsarases, and also the venerable bull-bannered Lord (Śiva) were present. (2-11-45)
But in the assembly of the grandsire, those great sages were mentioned, as well as all classes of gods and all the scriptures. (2-11-46)
O sage, in the assembly of Indra, the gods were mentioned, as well as the various Gandharvas and great sages by name. (2-11-47)
O great sage, only one royal sage, Hariścandra, has been mentioned to you as always present in the assembly of the great-souled Indra. (2-11-48)
What deed or austerity or fixed vow did he perform, by which this greatly renowned one could compete with Indra himself? (2-11-49)
O brāhmaṇa, my father who has departed to the world of ancestors has also been seen by you. O highly fortunate one, how did you meet with Pāṇḍu? (2-11-50)
O revered one, I wish to know what has been spoken; I have the utmost curiosity to hear all this from you. (2-11-51)
Nārada said.
O king, you have asked me about Harishchandra, O lord. I shall now fully tell you the greatness of that wise man. (2-11-52)
He was a powerful king, the emperor of all rulers of the earth. All the earth-kings remained bowed to his command. (2-11-53)
O king of men, by him, having mounted a single victorious chariot adorned with gold, seven islands were conquered through the prowess of his weapons. (2-11-54)
Having conquered the entire earth along with its mountains, forests, and groves, he performed the great Rājasūya sacrifice, O great king. (2-11-55)
All the kings brought wealth at his command. In that sacrifice, they served as attendants to the twice-born. (2-11-56)
The king, with affection, gave wealth to the priests; as stated there by them, he then gave five times more. (2-11-57)
He also satisfied the Brāhmaṇas with various riches, those who had come from all directions at the time of the snake-sacrifice. (2-11-58)
He was honoured with various foods and delicacies as he desired, and satisfied Brāhmaṇas with heaps of jewels; it was declared that he became brilliant and famous, superior to kings. (2-11-59)
For this reason, O Pārtha, Hariścandra stands out. Know, O best of the Bharatas, that he surpasses those thousands of kings. (2-11-60)
Having completed the great sacrifice, the glorious Hariścandra, having been anointed, shone as king with sovereignty. (2-11-61)
O Bhārata, those other kings also who perform the great Rājasūya sacrifice rejoice together with Mahendra (Indra). (2-11-62)
O best of the Bharatas, those who did not flee and attained death in battle, having reached that assembly, rejoice. (2-11-63)
Those who abandon their bodies here with intense austerity, they too, having attained that place, shine forth always as prosperous. (2-11-64)
Pandu, the father and delight of the Kauravas, said to you, O son of Kunti, having become astonished upon seeing the prosperity of King Harishchandra. (2-11-65)
You have the ability to conquer the earth, and your brothers are obedient to you. Therefore, O Bhārata, perform the greatest of sacrifices, the Rājasūya. (2-11-66)
Therefore, O tiger among men, you should make up your mind, O Pāṇḍava. Your companions will attain the same world as Mahendra together with the former ones. (2-11-67)
O king, this great sacrifice is known to be beset with many obstacles. Here, the brahma-rākṣasas, destroyers of sacrifice, eagerly seek out flaws. (2-11-68)
Battle and retreat both lead to the destruction of the earth. Even a small cause here can bring about ruin. (2-11-69)
O king, after reflecting on this, act as is proper. Always be vigilant in protecting the four classes. Be prosperous, rejoice, and satisfy the twice-born with gifts. (2-11-70)
I have explained this to you in detail as you asked me. Now, I take leave from you and shall go to the city of the Dāśārhas. (2-11-71)
Vaiśampāyana said.
O Janamejaya, after thus narrating to the sons of Pṛthā, Nārada departed, accompanied by the sages who had assembled there, O king. (2-11-72)
O Kaurava, after Nārada had departed, Pārtha, along with his brothers, began to contemplate the Rājasūya, the greatest of sacrifices, O Bhārata. (2-11-73)
